Romain Grosjean fastest after opening practice at Abu Dhabi

Romain Grosjean has ended the opening practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend fastest overall, ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and newly-crowned Champion Sebastian Vettel. Many minor mistakes ensued throughout the session, as the drivers pushed to the limits of the Yas Marina Circuit.

Only several days after the historical events of the Indian Grand Prix around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit, the Formula 1 fraternity reconvened around the impressive Yas Marina Circuit for the fifth running of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Although Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull have clinched both Championships, the battle for 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Championship still rages on. For the opening practice session of the weekend, reserve drivers James Calado, Heikki Kovalainen and Rodolfo Gonzalez stepped in for their respective team-mates’ at Force India, Caterham and Marussia.

As the session got underway, Esteban Gutierrez and Kimi Raikkonen wasted no time in immediately taking to the Yas Marina Circuit. With no previous experience around the tight and twisty confines of the track, the Mexican rookie instantly began learning the 5.554km circuit. At Turn 6 Gutierrez heavily out-broke himself on his out-lap, momentarily running wide in the process. In traditional fashion the majority of the drivers only took to the track to complete one or two installation laps, with some completing three or more. Jean-Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso was seen emanating blue smoke as he completed his installation lap, whilst also reporting tyre vibrations back to the pit-wall.

After the traditional lull in track action after the initial flurry of installation laps, Sergio Perez eventually took to the track to complete the first timed lap of the weekend with a 01:48.525. The Mexican driver continued to improve as several more drivers including his team-mate took to the circuit, eventually working his way down to a 01:45.331. As Jenson Button completed his first timed lap, the 2009 World Champion ran extensively wide at Turn 20 before slotting into 2nd position behind his team-mate. During his first few laps, the Briton was heard complaining of a severe lack of grip over the team radio.

Eventually the Yas Marina Circuit was busy with many drivers returning to the circuit to fully begin their preparations for the weekend ahead, as Romain Grosjean rose to the top for Lotus with a 01:45.329. The Frenchman has impressed many throughout the last few races, and will unquestionably be aiming to continue with his competitiveness this weekend at Abu Dhabi. As the session continued, many drivers began pushing to the limits of the Yas Marina Circuit, as both Pastor Maldonado and Jules Bianchi ran wide at Turns 21 and 20 respectively. Felipe Massa joined the growing list of drivers who mad made mistakes throughout the session, with the Brazilian driver missing the apex of Turn 6.

With preparations for the weekend ahead in full swing around the Yas Marina Circuit, newly-crowned Champion Sebastian Vettel soon asserted his authority over proceedings in his Red Bull with a 01:45.172. Despite the German’s almost unrivaled pace in recent races, the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton soon thwarted Vettel’s benchmark with a 01:45.015 after momentarily running wide at Turn 6 on his previous lap. However, Sebastian Vettel soon responded by returning to the top with a 01:44.886, as the times around the 5.554km circuit continued to improve.

As the opening practice session of the weekend drew to a conclusion, many drivers continued to make minor mistakes up and down the paddock. These culprits included the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton, with many drivers in particular running wide at the final corner. Nico Rosberg became the next driver to rise to the top for the German marque with a 01:44.741, before team-mate Lewis Hamilton quickly responded with an even quicker 01:44.433. However, Romain Grosjean managed to silently rise to the top during the final minutes of the session with a 01:44.241. This time saw the Frenchman end the opening session fastest overall, the first time he has topped a practice session since the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The numerous teams and drivers will return to the Yas Marina Circuit later in the day as the sun begins to set, for the second practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. Romain Grosjean will unquestionably be striving to remain competitive near the front, as the focus switches to race simulations ahead of the 55-lap race on Sunday.

Pos Driver                Team                      Time       Gap     Laps
 1. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault             1m44.241s           20
 2. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes                  1m44.433s  +0.192s  22
 3. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault          1m44.499s  +0.258s  18
 4. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault          1m44.712s  +0.471s  18
 5. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes                  1m44.741s  +0.500s  23
 6. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault             1m44.929s  +0.688s  21
 7. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes      1m45.040s  +0.799s  19
 8. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes          1m45.099s  +0.858s  19
 9. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault          1m45.150s  +0.909s  23
10. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes          1m45.331s  +1.090s  19
11. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari            1m45.378s  +1.137s  21
12. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                   1m45.440s  +1.199s  17
13. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault          1m45.823s  +1.582s  21
14. James Calado          Force India-Mercedes      1m45.924s  +1.683s  19
15. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari            1m46.068s  +1.827s  17
16. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari        1m46.114s  +1.873s  21
17. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                   1m46.124s  +1.883s  17
18. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari        1m46.126s  +1.885s  20
19. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault          1m47.600s  +3.359s  21
20. Heikki Kovalainen     Caterham-Renault          1m47.670s  +3.429s  21
21. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth         1m47.723s  +3.482s  22
22. Rodolfo Gonzalez      Marussia-Cosworth         1m49.565s  +5.324s  21

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Hamilton fastest as Raikkonen crashes during practice one at Korea

Lewis Hamilton has managed to end the opening practice session of the Korean Grand Prix weekend fastest overall, only just ahead of reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Mark Webber ended the session 3rd for Red Bull, whereas Kimi Raikkonen endured a heavy incident towards the end of the session.

After a two week gap since Sebastian Vettel’s sensational display of dominance around the illuminated streets of Singapore, the Formula 1 paddock reconvened at Yeongam for the fourth running of the Korean Grand Prix. Despite serious threats of a typhoon presenting inclement weather conditions on race day, the opening practice session of the weekend began in glorious and sunny weather conditions. For the first session, reserve drivers’ James Calado and Rodolfo Gonzalez replaced Paul di Resta and Jules Bianchi at their respective outfits, in a bid to enjoy some pivotal running in Formula 1.

At the start of the session reserve driver Rodolfo Gonzalez became the first driver to take to the track for Marussia, and was quickly followed by many others who were keen begin their preparations for the weekend ahead. As per usual many drivers up and down the paddock elected to carry out installation laps, with Pastor Maldonado and Sebastian Vettel in particular sporting a vast array of sensors on their respective machines. Eventually the Marussia of Rodolfo Gonzalez became the first driver to produce a timed lap, with a 01:52.294. The Venezuelan driver continued to improve as the session progressed, gradually working his way down to a 01:46.810 as Marussia’s preparations for the weekend ahead continued.

Despite continuing to improve around the Korea International Circuit, Rodolfo Gonzalez’s session was brought to a sudden halt, after a hefty collision with the wall. The 27-year-old Venezuelan driver ran wide on the exit of Turn 13, and was subsequently speared into the retaining concrete wall. The resulting incident destroyed the Marussia’s front-wing, as Gonzalez limped back to the pits for repairs.

After the debris that littered the exit of Turn 13 was cleared by the Korean marshals, the drivers gradually returned to the circuit to continue with their preparations. Sergio Perez soon rose to the top for McLaren with a 01:44.258, a time which the Mexican sensation was able to improve upon greatly down to a 01:41.960. James Calado and Valtteri Bottas slotted into 2nd and 3rd position respectively, as more driver continued returning to the Korea International Circuit. James Calado suffered a minor spin at Turn 12 as the session progressed, whereas Felipe Massa was informed of a left-front puncture on his Ferrari which forced the Brazilian driver to return to the pits.

Nico Rosberg soon rose to the top for Mercedes, with the German producing a 01:41.498 for the German marque. His reign was soon brought to a conclusion by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, who managed to produce a 01:41.437 for the Scuderia. The times continued to tumble as the session progressed, as reigning Champion Sebastian Vettel momentarily rose to the top for Red Bull before Nico Rosberg returned to the top with a 01:40.364. The German driver continued to improve at the front for Mercedes, with a 01:40.117 as Mark Webber slotted into 2nd position for Red Bull.

As the session entered its final stages Lewis Hamilton rose to the top for Mercedes with a 01:39.630, as Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes was seemingly struck with an issue, as the German’s seat was removed from his car to allow his mechanics access to a hydraulic filling point. Whilst Nico Rosberg remained in the pit-lane, the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel began to improve out on track, resulting in Sebastian Vettel producing a 01:39.667 to go 2nd fastest and only +0.037 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton.

The opening session was brought to an explosive conclusion, as Kimi Raikkonen lost the rear of his Lotus through the final complex of corners and slammed violently into the retaining tyre barrier. The resulting incident utterly destroyed both the front and the rear of the Finn’s car, undoubtedly increasing his back issues in the process. The checkered flag was ultimately unfurled amid yellow flags, as Kimi Raikkonen walked the short distance back to the pits leaving behind a completely wrecked Lotus.

Whilst the Lotus mechanics prepared for a lengthy rebuild before practice two, Lewis Hamilton ended the opening session fastest overall for Mercedes only just ahead of the ever threatening Red Bull’s of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. The preparations for the weekend ahead will continue later in the day, when the Formula 1 paddock returns to the Korea International Circuit for the second practice session.

Pos Driver                Team                  Time       Gap    Laps
 1. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes              1m39.630s           20
 2. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault      1m39.667s  +0.037s  20
 3. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault      1m39.816s  +0.186s  19
 4. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes              1m40.117s  +0.487s  20
 5. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m40.215s  +0.585s  22
 6. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari               1m40.374s  +0.744s  18
 7. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault         1m40.396s  +0.766s  19
 8. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault         1m40.677s  +1.047s  15
 9. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes      1m40.860s  +1.230s  20
10. Felipe Massa          Ferrari               1m40.880s  +1.250s  13
11. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari        1m40.899s  +1.269s  20
12. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m41.432s  +1.802s  18
13. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault      1m41.482s  +1.852s  22
14. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari        1m41.626s  +1.996s  21
15. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m41.924s  +2.294s  19
16. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault      1m42.002s  +2.372s  20
17. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m42.043s  +2.413s  18
18. James Calado          Force India-Mercedes  1m43.008s  +3.378s  21
19. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault      1m43.660s  +4.030s  20
20. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault      1m43.883s  +4.253s  19
21. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth     1m44.100s  +4.470s  14
22. Rodolfo Gonzalez      Marussia-Cosworth     1m46.810s  +7.180s  10

Picture Copyright © Mercedes AMG Petronas

Romain Grosjean Struck With Ten-Place Grid Penalty For Canada

Romain Grosjean has been struck with a ten-place grid penalty for the Canadian Grand Prix next time out, after the Frenchman seemed to return to his old incident-prone ways during the Monaco Grand Prix. In the latter stages of the race, the 27-year-old slammed into the rear of Daniel Ricciardo and eventually into retirement.

After a 2012 season where Romain Grosjean seemed to constantly be involved in incidents throughout each Grand Prix weekend, it was initially thought that the Frenchman had managed to change his ways over the winter period ahead of the new season. However, after four separate altercations throughout the entire Monaco Grand Prix weekend, it seems as though the Frenchman’s demons are continuing to plague him. Towards the latter stages of the Monaco Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean simply misjudged his braking for Turn 10 and slammed into the rear of Daniel Ricciardo’s Toro Rosso.

Naturally this incident infuriated the Australian driver, who described Romain Grosjean as dangerous. After an investigation by the race stewards, it was finally decided to impose a ten-place grid penalty for Romain Grosjean for the Canadian Grand Prix next time out. Romain Grosjean feels frustrated with the incident, as he feels Daniel Ricciardo broke early in the middle of the circuit.

“Daniel [Ricciardo] seemed to be really struggling with his rear tyres and they looked to have a lot of graining.” Explained Romain Grosjean, “I’d been following him for almost all of the 61 laps but I was caught out by him braking early in the middle of the circuit and there was nowhere for me to go. It’s a frustrating end to the weekend, but the real damage was done in qualifying when I didn’t get through to Q3. That was Daniel again who I was held up by, but it certainly wasn’t my intention to end my race in the back of his car!”

Romain Grosjean’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was also under investigation by the stewards after the race, with the Finn being deemed to have produced a time two seconds below the minimum time set by the FIA ECU when following the safety car. However, the former World Champion and Monaco Grand Prix winner avoided a penalty after only being issued with a reprimand.

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Felipe Massa Ends Final Practice Marginally Ahead Of Kimi Raikkonen

Felipe Massa has continued his impressive start to his 2013 campaign after ending the third and final practice session just marginally ahead of the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen, in a dry practice session around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. The duo were followed by the Red Bull of Mark Webber, with Romain Grosjean 4th.

The final practice session ahead of the all-important qualifying hour began in sunny weather conditions, despite dark clouds looming ominously in the distance. Paul di Resta and Daniel Ricciardo immediately got proceedings underway when the session became green, as they became the first drivers to take to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Many more drivers followed, however the majority opted to complete installation laps before returning back to the pits.

However, the Mercedes and Caterham duo both elected to set early timed laps, with Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and then Charles Pic all rising to the top of the timing sheets for their respective teams with the latter setting a 01:25.635. Eventually further drivers elected to take to the Circuit de Catalunya to complete their first timed laps of the session, with Esteban Gutierrez setting the pace before reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:23.920.

As the third and final practice session progressed, the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and then Romain Grosjean rose to the top for the Enstone-based outfit, with the latter producing a 01:23.042. Local hero Fernando Alonso then gave his adoring masses an excuse to cheer, as the Ferrari man stormed to the top with a 01:23.006. Whereas Ferrari continued to look strong at the front, McLaren continued to struggle despite the new upgrades, as Sergio Perez crawled back to the pits after his new front-left brake duct broke.

As the third and final practice session entered its closing stages, Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg became the first drivers to elect for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound, with the Spaniard unsurprisingly smashing his previous best with a 01:22.254 on the softer rubber. The Mercedes duo slotted into 2nd and 3rd position respectively, with Lewis Hamilton just ahead of his German team-mate. Kimi Raikkonen managed to storm to the top of the timing sheets as he too opted for the medium tyre compound, with the 2007 World Champion producing a 01:21.907.

Throughout the closing minutes of the third practice session, all of the drivers except Jean-Eric Vergne opted to run Pirelli’s medium tyre compound. This saw many improved lap times up and down the order, however only Felipe Massa could thwart the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen with an impressive 01:21.901, only +0.006 seconds ahead of his former Ferrari team-mate. Mark Webber managed to progress into 3rd position for Red Bull, with reigning Champion Sebastian Vettel a distant 5th.

With all three practice sessions now over ahead of the all-important qualifying hour, the teams and drivers will now be frantically finalizing their preparations for the remainder of the weekend. As expected, both Ferrari, Lotus and Red Bull look impressively quick, however only one driver can start from the coveted pole position.

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Lotus Confirms Nick Chester As James Allison Replacement

Lotus has confirmed the appointment of Nick Chester as the team’s technical director, following James Allison’s departure from the Enstone-based outfit. After a long and colorful career with the team since its days known as Renault back in 2005, James Allison has left the team to potentially join a rival outfit.

To fill the void left after James Allison’s departure, Lotus has confirmed former Engineering Director Nick Chester as his replacement as the team’s technical director. After a five-year career at Arrows Grand Prix, Nick Chester joined the outfit [then known as Benetton] back in 2000 as a race engineer. By 2005, he was promoted to the head of the vehicle performance group before becoming the head of performance systems in 2010. Last season Nick Chester was appointed as the team’s Engineering Director, in what has so far been a colorful career with the Enstone-based outfit.

“I have worked at Enstone for over twelve years and am delighted to take on the role of Technical Director.” Explained Nick Chester, “I am grateful to the management at Enstone for the faith they have shown in promoting me to this position. I am very aware of our need to keep pushing development of this year’s E21 whilst developing next year’s car to a set of very different regulations. There are some exciting times ahead for Enstone and I’m honored to be part of it.”

After an extremely competitive start to the 2013 season for Lotus, which has seen Kimi Raikkonen in particular finish in the points at each of the four races so far, team principal Eric Boullier has stipulated the importance of remaining in the development battle as the season wears on. Next season the sport will witness a transformation unlike any other beforehand, as a whole host of new technical regulations are introduced. Nick Chester will spearhead the team’s development into this new era of Formula 1.

James Allison could well be on his way to a rival outfit.

“We are pleased to announce Nick Chester as our next Technical Director.” Said Eric Boullier, “Nick is well known to everyone at Enstone having been with the team for over twelve years. He is already directly involved with this and next year’s cars, ensuring a smooth transition which has been underway for some time. It’s an illustration of the strength and breadth of talent at Enstone that we can draw on personnel of the calibre of Nick and it’s something of an Enstone tradition for new Technical Directors to be promoted from within. He assumes his new position at a tremendously exciting time for the sport.

“The 2014 technical regulation changes present many challenges, while our current position of second place in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ World Championships mean we cannot lose sight of this year’s development battle. Nick really has his work cut out, but we know he is more than capable of handling the tasks ahead. As a team and individually, we would all like to thank James Allison for his efforts during his three stints at Enstone and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

James Allison’s departure from Lotus has sparked several rumors within the paddock, with the Briton linked to a move to several rival teams up and down the grid including McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. Several of these major teams have shown interest in James Allison in recent months, and he could well prove highly valuable to the lucky team which eventually snaps him up. It will be interesting to see whether Allison’s departure has a major affect on Lotus’s current form, which sees them as one of the top teams on the current grid, something they will be striving to retain as Nick Chester assumes the technical director duties.

Picture(s) Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Kimi Raikkonen Coy On Formula 1 Future

Former Formula 1 World Champion, Kimi Raikkonen, is remaining coy on his future within the sport, amid speculation regarding the Finn joining Red Bull in 2014 to replace Mark Webber. This would see him partner good friend Sebastian Vettel in the outfit, which could present the sport with a fearsome combination.

However, whilst Formula 1’s silly season swings into an unusually early motion, Kimi Raikkonen has remained his usual impassive self with regards to his future in Formula 1. Currently the 2007 World Champion is competing in his second season with Lotus, after he returned from rallying last year. Whilst Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has fanned the flames with regards to the rumors linking Raikkonen to Red Bull, Lotus owner Gerard Lopez fully believes the 33-year-old will remain with the Enstone-based outfit.

“Kimi’s position is going to be based on a bunch of things and not on what Red Bull say – I think they have their hands full right now.” Explained Gerard Lopez to Autosport after the Chinese Grand Prix. “As far as we are concerned, the relationship with Kimi is excellent. We are where we want to be, he is where he wants to be, and I can guarantee you that Kimi is not the sort of guy who is going to sign any sort of pre-contract. Not with anybody. If we keep giving him what he wants then I don’t see there is any reason for him to go anywhere. We are happy, so we don’t see any reason to replace him.”

Whereas the respective team owners seem rather vocal about whether or not Kimi Raikkonen would move from one team to another, the Finn himself has explained how he has not yet thought about his future in the sport. Kimi Raikkonen, who has finished in the points in every race since last year’s Chinese Grand Prix, believes the sport will see a significant change when the teams begin switching to the development on their 2014 cars.

“I haven’t thought about all that yet – I feel good here.” Said Kimi Raikkonen, in an exclusive interview with Formula1.com at the Bahrain Grand Prix. “But yes, there are many things that are undecided and there is still a long way to go this season, so let’s see how things unfold. We will see pretty significant changes when teams switch to their 2014 car development – and then it will be interesting to see what is going on. I have no contract for next year – that much is true. But further than that, I don’t want to discuss the matter. I want to do well this season and everything else will fall into place.”

So far Kimi Raikkonen has been regarded by many within the paddock as Mr. Consistency, finishing in the points at each of the opening four races. This streak of consistency for Kimi Raikkonen stretches as far back as the Chinese Grand Prix last year, and includes two race victories for Lotus. Already the Finn has been tipped as a title contender alongside the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, one of the many facts which will make him hot property on the driver market for 2014.

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Kimi Raikkonen Leads Red Bull After Second Practice At Bahrain

Kimi Raikkonen has ended the second practice session fastest overall, ahead of the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. The Finn displayed a strong race simulation pace, which could see him master a two-stop strategy during the race on Sunday.

After a light rain shower between the two practice sessions, the second session began with overcast weather conditions over the Bahrain International Circuit. Despite the earlier rain, the heat meant the track was still bone dry as the Marussia duo of Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi took to the track as the session turned green. The Briton set the initial pace for the Banbury-based outfit, with a 01:41.419. However, the times quickly began to tumble as the likes of Giedo van der Garde, Jenson Button and Sergio Perez all rose to the top.

As more drivers gradually took to the Bahrain International Circuit, several drivers including Pastor Maldonado and Lewis Hamilton made minor mistakes and ran off of the track as they pushed too hard in their respective machines. Jenson Button managed to momentarily return to the top of the timing sheets for McLaren, before the Red Bull of Mark Webber displaced the former World Champion with a 01:34.664. Sebastian Vettel struggled to match his team-mates pace early on, as the reigning World Champion ran extensively wide at Turns 14 and 15, therefore ruining his timed lap.

Fernando Alonso became one of the first drivers to opt for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound as the session progressed, which in return saw the Spaniard storm to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:34.317 for the Scuderia. Felipe Massa slotted into 3rd position behind Alonso and Webber, as Ferrari continued their strong display of pace around the circuit. Mark Webber soon joined the two-time Champion on the medium tyres, and subsequently set a 01:34.184 to leapfrog the Ferrari driver.

Many drivers soon decided that the medium tyres were the way ahead, as the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton carried out the switch. Esteban Gutierrez’s poor start to the season continued at Turn 8, when the Mexican rookie ran wide and made minor contact with the Caterham of Charles Pic who was in the process of allowing the GP2 graduate through. This caused a front-left puncture for Gutierrez, who was forced to limp back to the pits.

Kimi Raikkonen rose to the top for Lotus with a 01:34.154, as the Enstone-based outfit continued to work well with Pirelli’s unpredictable P Zero tyre compounds. All of the drivers unsurprisingly elected to run race simulations as the second practice session wore on, with Lotus and Ferrari in particular standing out as looking competitive for the race. Felipe Massa ran a touch wide on the exit of Turn 7, as the majority of the drivers still continued to push over the limit in a bid to fully prepare themselves for the weekend ahead.

As the session drew to a close, Kimi Raikkonen’s time at the top of the timing sheets remained unbeaten, as the former World Champion ended the session ahead of the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. The Finn’s race simulation throughout the session indicated that he could carry out a two-stop race strategy on Sunday, which could well enable him to secure his first ever victory around the Bahrain International Circuit. However, both Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso can never be discounted, and the battle at the front will inevitably be close once proceedings continue tomorrow morning during practice three.

Pos Driver                Team                   Time      Gap       Laps
 1. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m34.154s             31
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m34.184s  + 0.030s   26
 3. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m34.282s  + 0.128s   29
 4. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                1m34.310s  + 0.156s   28
 5. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   1m34.543s  + 0.389s   35
 6. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m34.552s  + 0.398s   34
 7. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m34.631s  + 0.477s   33
 8. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m34.666s  + 0.512s   37
 9. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1m34.932s  + 0.778s   33
10. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes               1m34.976s  + 0.822s   29
11. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m35.356s  + 1.202s   32
12. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m35.506s  + 1.352s   36
13. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes       1m35.5$9s  + 1.435s   36
14. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m35.761s  + 1.607s   33
15. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari         1m36.133s  + 1.979s   36
16. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       1m36.279s  + 2.125s   33
17. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault       1m36.579s  + 2.425s   28
18. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari         1m36.616s  + 2.462s   34
19. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault       1m37.061s  + 2.907s   32
20. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.313s  + 3.159s   33
21. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.363s  + 3.209s   29
22. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault       1m37.970s  + 3.816s   34

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Kimi Raikkonen Wanted To Change Front Wing

Kimi Raikkonen has disclosed that he wanted to change his front wing during the Chinese Grand Prix, after his minor incident with the McLaren of Sergio Perez at Turn 6. In his attempt to keep the Finn at bay, Perez practically barged Raikkonen onto the grass through Turn 5 which resulted in the altercation between the two.

Luckily the collision between the two was not as ferocious as the one between Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil earlier in the race, however minor damage was caused to Kimi Raikkonen’s nose cone during the incident. The damage was clearly noticeable throughout the remainder of the race, however Lotus elected not to change the front wing as the car continued to handle well. However, the 2007 World Champion has confirmed that he initially wanted the team to change the wing, despite the Finn’s ability to still overtake other competitors.

“Second wasn’t quite what we wanted, but in the circumstances it was the best that we could manage today.” Explained Kimi Raikkonen, “I’m not 100% happy because we didn’t win, but it is what it is and second place is a good result after a bad start and the incident with Sergio [Perez]. Of course there were some handling issues which was not ideal, but we just had to try to live with it and we still had pretty okay speed. Actually I wanted to change it [the front wing] and wasn’t sure if they changed it. I think they looked at the wing at the first pit stop but they probably thought that it would take too long. The reason why they probably didn’t change it was that the car was reasonably OK, I could still overtake people.”

After securing a superlative victory at the opening race of the season in Australia, finishing 7th in Malaysia and 2nd at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen now sits only three points behind Championship leader Sebastian Vettel and six ahead of Fernando Alonso. This result was the Finn’s 20th consecutive points finish, and should he continue to display this tremendous consistency throughout the season, he will surely remain a Championship contender.

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Romain Grosjean: “Sepang Is Probably My Favorite Track”

Romain Grosjean is looking forward to this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, as it takes place around the Frenchman’s favorite circuit on the calendar. After making his first appearance around the track in 2008 during his time in the GP2 Asia category, the circuit instantly became a firm favorite due largely to its wide and fast flowing nature.

Last season saw Romain Grosjean retire from his first Malaysian Grand Prix, after the Frenchman collided with Michael Schumacher on the opening lap and then spun out of the race when the heavens fully opened on Lap 3. This season the Frenchman will understandably be hoping for a much more competitive outing around the Sepang International Circuit, especially after his team-mates success last time out.

“Sepang is probably my favorite track of the whole season.” Enthused Romain Grosjean, “I first raced there in 2008 as part of the GP2 Asia Series and I really loved the circuit. It’s nice and wide, with fast flowing corners and a lot of undulation which makes it great fun to drive. The last corner is a tricky one, but I enjoy everything about racing there. Well, maybe not the heat and humidity, but at the end of the day it’s just another challenge for the drivers! I’m really looking forward to it.”

Romain Grosjean endured a tough race weekend last time out in Australia, in stark contrast to team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who stormed to race victory with ease. The Frenchman could only manage 8th during qualifying, and struggled with what he believed was a damaged car to finish 10th during the 58-lap race. On a plus side Romain Grosjean’s race was clean and devoid any incidents, however it’s unquestionable that after Kimi Raikkonen’s victory the 26-year-old will be striving for success in the remaining races of the season.

“It’s a shame as everything looked positive after qualifying in the morning [at Australia], but in the race something felt wrong with my car.” Explained Romain Grosjean, “I sat down with my engineers to analyze where the problem came from and we hopefully will be able to perform better in the future. The car felt so good at times over the weekend, but then at other times it wasn’t where I wanted it to be. It meant that the race felt long and pretty difficult for me. It was very frustrating and I’m disappointed for the team and for myself as I wanted to start the season with a strong result.”

Last season Romain Grosjean seemed to take one step forwards and then two back in what became a frustrating and topsy-turvy year for the Frenchman. This season Grosjean is adamant he has changed his ways, and will be striving to prove his worthiness in a team which is now fighting at the top of the sport’s echelon.

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Kimi Raikkonen Storms To Superlative Victory At The Australian Grand Prix

Kimi Raikkonen has stormed to an impressive victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, during a 58-lap race which was dominated by the ever-changing Pirelli tyres. The Finn was followed home by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel a distant 3rd for Red Bull.

Despite locking-out the front row of the grid during qualifying earlier in the morning, the Red Bull’s advantage was thwarted during the opening race of the season as tyre strategies dominated proceedings. At the start Sebastian Vettel stormed into the lead for Red Bull, whereas the German’s team-mate of Mark Webber visibly struggled off of the line and was robbed by the Ferrari duo and Lewis Hamilton. The local hero continued to struggle during the opening lap, whereas Felipe Massa aimed at catching race leader Sebastian Vettel at the front.

Lewis Hamilton became locked in a grueling battle for 4th with the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen, with the Finn eventually muscling his way around the Briton during the frenetic opening laps. The first laps of the race were disastrous for the two local drivers, as Daniel Ricciardo fell to the back of the pack for Toro Rosso after fellow countryman Mark Webber’s terrible start. Jenson Button became the first driver to pit for new tyres on Lap 5 for McLaren, with the Briton being followed into the pits during the next few laps by many others including Mark Webber.

Sebastian Vettel leads at the front as the pack negotiates Turn 1.

Whilst many drivers decided to pit early for new tyres, Felipe Massa began to seriously catch the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel for the lead. Eventually the reigning Champion elected to pit from the lead on Lap 8, whereas the Ferrari duo elected to remain out on track with Felipe Massa in the lead. The next lap saw Felipe Massa finally decide to pit, as team-mate Fernando Alonso took the lead ahead of the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen. The duo also pitted on Lap 10, allowing Lewis Hamilton to assume the lead for Mercedes.

Pastor Maldonado struggled greatly during the opening stages of the Grand Prix, as the Venezuelan driver skipped through the gravel at Turn 1. Further down the order saw McLaren’s Sergio Perez visibly struggle for grip, as he plummeted through the pack. Kimi Raikkonen began to display his superlative pace after his opening pit stop for Lotus, whereas Lewis Hamilton remained in the lead for Mercedes despite not yet pitting. However, the 2008 World Champion elected to pit on Lap 14, thus handing the lead down to team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Once the German driver had also pitted for Mercedes, the lead was surprisingly assumed by the Force India of Formula 1 returnee Adrian Sutil. Many expected the German driver to also pit soon after taking the lead, however after starting the race on the medium tyre the German driver was able to remain out on track much longer than predicted. Sebastian Vettel was unable to catch and overtake the Force India, with Felipe Massa close behind the reigning World Champion.

Whilst Adrian Sutil continued to command the race at the front, Mark Webber pitted once again for Red Bull. The Australian driver was followed a lap later by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, who pitted earlier than his team-mate to try and perfect the “undercut”. Adrian Sutil and Sebastian Vettel pitted together on Lap 22, with the Force India driver amazingly exiting the pit-lane ahead of his fellow compatriot. However, Fernando Alonso stormed around both of them after they exited the pit-lane, as Felipe Massa led out in front.

Felipe Massa’s chances of a strong result were scuppered when the Ferrari driver pitted on Lap 24, which saw the Brazilian driver exit behind both Alonso, Vettel and even Sutil. Pastor Maldonado’s race failed to improve, as the Williams driver spun out of the race at Turn 1 on Lap 26 and beached his car in the unforgiving gravel. Nico Rosberg followed the Venezuelan driver into retirement shortly after, with an electrical fault striking the German’s Mercedes.

As the race progressed light rain began to sprinkle down upon the Albert Park street circuit, however it failed to amount to anything like the rainfall witnessed the day before. Lewis Hamilton struggled greatly on his set of medium tyres, and was passed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso before he pitted for a second time. This handed the lead to Kimi Raikkonen, who elected to pit shortly after despite a promising display of pace from the Finn at the front.

Fernando Alonso assumed the lead at the front of the pack, whilst reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel pitted on Lap 38. When the Spaniard eventually pitted once again on Lap 40, Adrian Sutil once again assumed the lead of the race after a superlative display of pace from the Force India driver. Daniel Ricciardo became the next driver to retire from the race of Lap 42, after a broken exhaust on the Toro Rosso.

Just prior to Adrian Sutil’s final pit-stop of the race of the super-soft tyre compound, Kimi Raikkonen streamed around the Force India driver at Turn 14 for the lead of the race. After taking the lead, the Finn simply romped into the distance to secure his first win at the Albert Park street circuit since 2007. Adrian Sutil’s race ended miserably, after his switch to the super-soft tyre failed to work and he plummeted through the order.

Such misfortune failed to find Kimi Raikkonen, who led home a podium which included a combined six World Championships with Fernando Alonso 2nd and Sebastian Vettel 3rd. The “Iceman” will unquestionably be looking to replicate such successes next time out at the Malaysian Grand Prix next weekend, at a venue where the Finn secured his maiden Grand Prix victory in 2003.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS

The Australian Grand Prix
Albert Park, Australia;
58 laps; 307.574km;
Weather: Cloudy.

Classified:

Pos  Driver        Team                       Time
 1.  Raikkonen      Lotus-Renault              1h30:03.225
 2.  Alonso         Ferrari                    +    12.451
 3.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault           +    22.346
 4.  Massa          Ferrari                    +    33.577
 5.  Hamilton       Mercedes                   +    45.561
 6.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault           +    46.800
 7.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes       +  1:05.068
 8.  Di Resta       Force India-Mercedes       +  1:08.449
 9.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes           +  1:21.630
10.  Grosjean       Lotus-Renault              +  1:22.759
11.  Perez          McLaren-Mercedes           +  1:23.367
12.  Vergne         Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +  1:23.857
13.  Gutierrez      Sauber-Ferrari             +     1 lap
14.  Bottas         Williams-Renault           +     1 lap
15.  Bianchi        Marussia-Cosworth          +     1 lap
16.  Pic            Caterham-Renault           +    2 laps
17.  Chilton        Marussia-Cosworth          +    2 laps
18.  van der Garde  Caterham-Renault           +    2 laps

Fastest lap: Raikkonen, 1:29.274

Not classified/retirements:

Driver        Team                         On lap
Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari           40
Rosberg        Mercedes                     26
Maldonado      Williams-Renault             25
Hulkenberg     Sauber-Ferrari               1

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