Hunt for Glory: Nathan Mckane's 2nd Season

[RealRacingRoots]

Video is up, give feedback if you got any: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFQ1jHoMx3U

WDC Standings
1st Hamilton 37
2nd Webber 35
3rd Alonso 33
4th Vettel 30
5th Schumacher 28
6th Kobayashi 27
7th McKane 26
8th Heidfeld 20
9th Massa 18
10th Petrov 16
11th Barrichello 15
12th Perez 6
13th Di Resta 4
14th Button, Maldonado, Rosberg 2
17th Alguersuari, Buemi 1
Sutil, Liuzzi, Glock, Trulli, D'Ambrosio and Kovalainen all have 0 points

WCC Standings:
1st Red Bull 65
2nd Ferrari 51
3rd McLaren 39
4th Renault 36
5th Sauber 33
6th Mercedes 30
7th HRT 26
8th Williams 17
9th Force India 4
10th Toro Rosso 2
Virgin and Lotus both with 0

Chinese GP Post Weekend Quote:
Nathan McKane (1st)
"This was one of the biggest tests of the last two seasons being able to take the mass pressure I was under during the duration of the grand prix with many cars trying to get past me on the long back straight. I had to be courageous under braking to keep them all at bay for such a long time. That last stint on the scrubbed Primes was a extra challenge with the tires hitting the drop-off point a few laps before the end. But, the team and I are ecstatic to be back in the front so early in the season. It took the seventh round last year in Canada before we really became a contender for the championship, and now we are really in the thick of it. The team can be happy with how we progressed since Melbourne, with the 3 rounds we have really gotten to grips with how the new car works, and it's paying dividends quicker then any of us would have expected. The European leg of the season starts next round in Istanbul, and this is where we will find out who will be in the fight for both titles, with many teams bringing updates. It has been a blast here in China and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.

[RealRacingRoots]

In Game Press-Clippings from China:

McKane Takes First Win of Season
In the third race of his title defense, HRT's Nathan McKane took his first win of the season at Shanghai. Race Engineer Andy Knight had admitted there were a few tense moments in the garage throughout the race, "Getting your first win after your championship always adds to the pressure of being a Formula One driver, but now that Nathan is back on the top spot of the podium, we can relax a little before the next race and really enjoy it."

Turkey Preview Quote:
Nathan McKane, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 12th, Race - 8th
"The European leg of the season is upon is, and it will be important to get a rhythm in these weekends because consistency is key now more than ever. I've always enjoyed coming to Istanbul Park, I have had good memories racing here in the Le Mans Series back in 2006 with Creation. The track itself is one of my favorites of the new tracks designed by Hermann Tilke with T1 and T8 being a lot of fun to drive on. This weekend we have more updates to evaluate to ensure that future packages will cement the already good pace that we have at such a early round. It took us until Canada last year to get the package right, and we have done it in half the grand prix which is a great feat by the team. There is no looking back now, as we have what it takes to accomplish the goal we have set at the beginning of the year."

Tweets from between race weekends:

"Went with Family to Kismot for dinner to celebrate win."

"At Knockhill signing autographs, love my second home"

"Did demo run and showed off trophy to 1000s in attendance."

"Going to dry for Practice and Race, looks stormy for Saturday."

"Very sunny here in Istanbul, lovely May afternoon."

[Wizzie]

Notes:

This race shows one of the biggest flaws with current F1 games; the fact that the faster teams are crazily faster via more horsepower. They do have a little bit more aero grip, but the speed trap difference between the HRT and the McLarens is really nuts. And the DRS makes it extra ludicrous. The video will take more time, as I recorded most of the replay also (didn't get the end as the replay system in-game didn't record it )

And that is why GP4 is better than just about any F1 game Codemasters can create (That plus the incredible wet weather simulation for what is effectively a 10 year old game which has only recently been matched. Crammond was certainly ahead of his time)

[East Londoner]

Notes:

This race shows one of the biggest flaws with current F1 games; the fact that the faster teams are crazily faster via more horsepower. They do have a little bit more aero grip, but the speed trap difference between the HRT and the McLarens is really nuts. And the DRS makes it extra ludicrous. The video will take more time, as I recorded most of the replay also (didn't get the end as the replay system in-game didn't record it )

And that is why GP4 is better than just about any F1 game Codemasters can create (That plus the incredible wet weather simulation for what is effectively a 10 year old game which has only recently been matched. Crammond was certainly ahead of his time)

I find it suprising that Geoff Crammond never made another additon to the Grand Prix range after GP4. A real shame indeed.

[FullMetalJack]

Notes:

This race shows one of the biggest flaws with current F1 games; the fact that the faster teams are crazily faster via more horsepower. They do have a little bit more aero grip, but the speed trap difference between the HRT and the McLarens is really nuts. And the DRS makes it extra ludicrous. The video will take more time, as I recorded most of the replay also (didn't get the end as the replay system in-game didn't record it )

And that is why GP4 is better than just about any F1 game Codemasters can create (That plus the incredible wet weather simulation for what is effectively a 10 year old game which has only recently been matched. Crammond was certainly ahead of his time)

I find it suprising that Geoff Crammond never made another additon to the Grand Prix range after GP4. A real shame indeed.

GP4's wet weather is the best in any racing game. Only flaw with the game is the limit of 22 cars.

[RealRacingRoots]

Conclusions made based on GP4 discussion:

*I was born too late to truly appreciate the golden era of racing games that was the late 90s/early 2000s,
*Geoff Crammond has something that many current developers lack: brilliant direction,
*I should buy GP4 for cheap monies soon; hey, I found a copy of rFactor for $2 so why not have lightning strike twice?

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Practice:

"Rain expected in last 10 mins. Today important for race."

Practice Report:

Skies were clear before practice began. The team was looking to get as much dry data before the rain came. In that was more data on new parts, for a more precise evaluation for the next updates down the line. The plan was for 4 runs, first two on Primes with changes to the car being made between runs, with reverting the setup to pre-practice and then switching them for the Option runs. We had to keep open on the setup so that we will have steady pace in qualifying. With the wet qualifying we get to choose what tires we start on in the race, which is nice. I was the second car out, behind Kovalainen, but quickly got past as I began to get heat into the tires. First run for 15 minutes went smoothly, and we got the data we need for the new parts. The car was having some oversteer issues on mid and exit, so those changes were made, a new set of primes were put on the car and we went out for the next run. Early on in that run, clouds had formed and were beginning to converge on the track. There was about 30 minutes before the rain would come or so that was predicted. With that second run we did improve the times, and with the best 3 sector times combined we could get into the high 1'29 range. A track like this is one is hard to get every corner right because throttle input and aero grip is so crucial here. In that way, the car may not be the best suited for this track compared to Shanghai, but we still had the option runs to go. The first option run was good, as it track was empty and that allowed me to push. We then made the changes from the second run of the Primes and put on a set of Options for the last run of the session. On the out-lap of the last run, the rain began to fall. It was now or never to get the fast lap we were looking for. All cars were on track and it was hard to get space for a good lap. After reconvening from a spin at T4 on my last flyer, the left rear got a puncture. That meant my program was over in bitter resolve. I can not be happy with the result; while the car is driving fine, albeit with some oversteer, we couldn't get as much out of the car as we thought we could. Tomorrow will be a gamble to get the timing of the track right. And I hope for a better result then P17.

Practice Results:
1st Webber 1:27.171
2nd Rosberg +0.129
3rd Alonso +0.376
4th Perez +0.381
...
16th Kobayashi +1.367
17th McKane +1.669
18th Sutil +1.786
...
22nd D'Ambrosio +4.194
23rd Liuzzi +4.405
24th Trulli +4.751

Post Practice Tweets:

"Feel bad for the Supercuppers doing Practice in the rain."

"The corner right before the back straight needs to be banked."

"It's a disaster waiting to happen with lap traffic."

I will be posting what songs I have gotten chosen for future videos soon. And whatever blanks there are you can recommend songs.

[RealRacingRoots]

Song List for Future Reviews:

(fill in blanks with responses, I will review and revise this list.)

Turkey: Signs of Life - Every Move a Picture
Spain: The Waiting Room - We Are The Ocean
Monaco: Do What You Want - OK Go
Canada: Funeral For Yesterday - Kittie
Europe:
Britain:
Germany:
Hungary:
Belgium: Louder (ft. Sian Evans) - DJ Fresh
Italy: Funny Little Feeling - Rock 'N Roll Soldiers
Singapore: Bright Lights Bigger City - Cee Lo Green
Japan:
Korea:
India:
Adu Dhabi: Sun Goes Down - The Futureheads
Brazil: At Least I'm Known for Something - New Found Glory
Season Review: Lights and Sounds - Yellowcard

[Wizzie]

Japan: Tokyo - The Wombats

[RealRacingRoots]

Last tweet before qualifying:

"Been raining since practice. Big test for everyone"

Qualifying Report:

The rain was expected to stay the whole session, which meant there was no alternate option then the Monsoon tires. It meant that we got to choose our dry tires for the next day, which is nice. We made what changes we could before the session began so that the car will be ready, wing changes, ride height, etc. The rain is a lot of fun, I think it is the biggest test for all the drivers because so much is down to the car in dry weather. For the out lap, I took it easy to see how bad of a state the track was in. There was a little bit of standing water, and you had to be really steady around T8 so that you don't aquaplane off. I thought it was fine, I'm used to rain calamities because it makes the racing a lot more fun, namely thinking of Spa last year. I cannot imagine what it would be like using the DRS in this weather. Everyone was complaining about the weather and the on track conditions, but it looked liked nothing was going to make it a red flag unless someone crashed. By the end of my first run I was 1.4 seconds off of the pole time of Button, although I felt I could got faster on my second run. There were 4 minutes to go when i went out of a new set of wets. I was able to only get 2 laps in, they had to count as i had dropped to 14th at that time. I had failed to improve although there was potential to do a lot better today. Istanbul Park, more than others, is a track where it's hard to get everything perfect. While my individual best sector times combined would have moved me up a few spots, it wasn't to be. Getting points will be a struggle, but with the track being green we will have to see how it goes.

Qualifying Results:
1st Hamilton 1:33.651
2nd Webber +0.080
3rd Vettel +0.113
...
13th Buemi +2.658
14th McKane +3.072
15th Barrichello +3.164
...
21st Glock +5.182
22nd Liuzzi +6.354
23rd Trulli +6.355

Post qualifying tweets:

"Not sure what to expect tomorrow. Lap 1 will be a good one."

"Based on top sectors we should've been around P10-ish even higher"

"Some days I like Istanbul, some days I really hate the darn place."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last tweet before the race:

"Hoping to make something out of nothing."

Race Report:

With the wash-out yesterday, everybody got to start on fresh tires. It was nice to not have dead tires by the end of the first stint. The start was ok, didn't lose any spots on the run to turn 1, and I gained 4 or 5 spots at T1, and 4 more in the rest of sector one. The guys ahead were gradually getting away from me and many guys were wanting to have a go at me at the back straight. It was a fight to keep them all behind as the DRS zone gave more speed then it did in China. The main guys who were behind me were both Renaults and Alonso. Alonso pitted at the same time as me, entering behind but exiting ahead as i had a slower stop. He was able to get a better run on track and he began to drive away. The circulation finished and I had dropped a few spots, and was holding on to a points place. A Renault using DRS didn't move back on line after I made my one blocking move and lost his front wing. The main battle I had for the duration of the race was with Rosberg for various positions during the second and third stints. Alguersuari did the same thing as the Renault after I made my block on Rosberg, he came out of nowhere trying to use the Mercedes as a pick. Other cars in the second stint fray were Di Resta, Sutil and Maldonado. Mid-way through the stint, I went wide on the corner right after the long straight and spun out right in front of the group who was following. Alguersuari had nowhere to go, and he lost another wing and Sutil was the only car to get past while I was recovering. My next stopped happened without fault, and I had dropped out of the points by the end of the circulation, because i just didn't have the pace to keep up with other cars i was racing with. As soon as I left, I got blue flags for a Red Bull wanting to get past. While slowing down to let him past, I was put into the clutches of a Renault who was behind me position wise. I got a gap on him as he slowed down considerably with blue flags from a McLaren getting past. I got more blue flags from another Red Bull, but it was at T8 and I couldn't slow down without threatening a big spin. A Williams was also getting blue flags, I made it past him and was was scrambling to slowdown and spun into the outside rail as the back straight began, the Red Bull slowed down with the spin and I re-got the blue flags after Turn 1. My pace compared to Rosberg, who was ahead was better because I had lost less time with slowing down to let the lead cars past. More blue flags and I got back to behind Rosberg as he was faster on his fresh Options. On the penultimate lap, I had re-caught up with Rosberg but was getting Blue Flags from Hamilton. I didn't want to lose time because I could gain a position with his worn Options. Hamilton complained to over the radio that he was being held up even though there was no chance that was in contention to gain places considering the gap there was to the cars ahead of him. I got a 20 second penalty from his moaning to the stewards. I got the DRS to pop and made it past Rosberg under braking at the long straight and we had a good battle for the rest of the race..... until I spun before the back straight losing my spot to Rosberg and a Renault from the spin and a Williams when trying to get back in gear to finish the lap. While i was P15 on the road, the penalty put me P19. This was my worst race in my F1 career; the car wasn't as fast as it was in China by a lot, the pit crew let me down, the stewards failed to see the context of a situation, and this track has awful elevation changes. Retiring from the Hungarian GP last year felt like paradise compared to today, and I hope to be able to bounce back with precision in Spain.

Race Results:
1st Vettel
2nd Webber +0.673
3rd Button +6.011
...
18th Kobayashi +1 Lap
19th McKane +1 Lap (+20 Seconds)
20th Glock +1 Lap
...
23rd D'Ambrosio +2 Laps
24th Liuzzi +2 Laps

Post Race:

I parked the car in parc-ferme, got weighted and talked to Charlie Whiting about my penalty. He didn't take my case and shrugged it off. I was livid with his reaction and went back to the Hospitality area, Andy (my engineer) and Colin Kolles to my sides and a flurry of Media trying to get to me to ask me questions. I didn't take off my helmet that whole time, I was ready to hit something, anything to let out my anger. Before I closed the door to the hospitality area, I flipped up my visor and gave the media who followed a glare and waved them off and closed the door with a slam. The three of us were in meeting for hours talking about how the weekend had gone so wrong.

Post Race Tweets:

(There were none until the Wednesday after the race)

Nathan will not be available for questioning.

[RealRacingRoots]

Video is Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Rvm5ZTbu0

WDC Standings:
1st Vettel 55
2nd Webber 53
3rd Hamilton 49
4th Alonso 43
5th Schumacher 32
6th Kobayashi 27
7th McKane, Massa 26
9th Petrov 22
10th Heidfeld 20
11th Button 17
12th Barrichello 15
13th Perez 8
14th Di Resta 4
15th Rosberg, Maldonado 2
17th Sutil, Alguersuari, Buemi 1
Liuzzi, Glock, Trulli, D'Ambrosio and Kovalainen all with 0

WCC Standings:
1st Red Bull 108
2nd Ferrari 69
3rd McLaren 66
4th Renault 42
5th Sauber 35
6th Mercedes 34
7th HRT 26
8th Williams 17
9th Force India 5
10th Toro Rosso 2
Virgin and Lotus both with 0

Turkish Grand Prix Post-Weekend Quote:
Nathan McKane (19th)
"This weekend was one where the team and I wanted to capitalize on what we had gained in Malaysia and China, but the result was not one we expected. Our car wasn't on the pace in Istanbul, and that limited what we could do in the race. I had a good start but could do little to solidify a chance at points. I did all I could, but it wasn't to be enough. Even in the wet where I knew i had a good shot at a higher grid spot then expected our pace was slower in the wet then in the dry compared to the leaders.The penalty I got is one I still wish to discuss further with the stewards, which I will do next race weekend in Spain. This next race will prove to be important; to see if we can bounce back from my worst weekend in F1 back to a fighting position and it is the home race for the team and it's owners."

Post Weekend Tweets:

"Got a lot of blind hate-tweets after the race."

"Didn't bother to look here until today." (Wednesday)

"I got one thing to say:"

"Don't boo me, you should be booing yourself."

[RealRacingRoots]

In-Game Press Clippings from Turkey:

Magnificent Win For Vettel at Istanbul
Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel took the chequered flag at Istanbul with a sublime driver. After the race the driver stated that the car had been perfect to drive all weekend.

Spain Preview Quote:
Nathan McKane, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 11th, Race - 6th
"This weekend is the team's home race. We really began to show our momentum beginning with this round last season, we slowly began the crawl to the front. Flashforward one year and we are picking up the pieces after an undesired result. We have more parts this weekend, as this is when the European leg begins for the factories. This track is a real test of consistency in the driver and overall pace in the car, and it is a good benchmark to see where all the teams are in the balance of power. I am keen to get back to the front, and do it in a big way for the home team this weekend."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Pre-Practice Tweet:

"Partly cloudy all weekend? Yawn."

A bug in the game meant that if i said return to paddock after a practice where i did a R&D test, i wouldn't get the new parts. So i have no upgrades on the car and didn't get a test this session.

Practice Report:
Now it was time to buckle down and get the job done; focus on the job at hand. Get data, work on setup, ????, profit was the plan. 2 Prime runs then one on the options at the end. The first run early on was good, although I didn't get the best time with the current state the car. The car was a little skittish in getting the power down, especially after the first turn. There was also a bit of understeer in the car, which was predictable with the base-lines. On the last lap of the run, the car got extra skittish right before i activated the DRS, I had no time to change my decision so the car went for a spin puncturing the right-rear tire. After a slow,slow lap to not damage the car i made it back to the pits. We scoured over the data and went out on a new set of primes half way through the session. We had improved the car and the times, which is good. Time for more subtle tunings before the option run. The changes made did help, but it is hard to get that great lap here. While we did get good data and still got work to do, the car is wanting to give more and I feel the lap time which was the final time isn't representative of what the car can do. We ended up 17th, but we could have been 13th-ish.

Practice Results:
1st Vettel 1:21.913
2nd Button +0.036
3rd Webber +0.053
...
16th Barrichello +1.574
17th McKane +1.635
18th Maldonado +1.739
19th Sutil +2.136
20th Liuzzi +3.629
21st D'Ambrosio +4.763

Post Practice Tweets:

"Home team do good at home race, hoping to show it 'morrow."

Got song ideas for future videos that I don't already got ideas for? Send replies with what song and what race?

[RealRacingRoots]

Got bored. Made Nathan's F1RejectsAltHistory Wiki page.

http://f1alternate.wikkii.com/wiki/Nathan_McKane#Complete_Formula_One_Grand_Prix_results

[Wizzie]

Got bored. Made Nathan's F1RejectsAltHistory Wiki page.

http://f1alternate.wikkii.com/wiki/Nathan_McKane#Complete_Formula_One_Grand_Prix_results

Could you please fix up your results table on the bottom of the page so only races which you scored pole position are in bold and italics for fastest lap?

[Ferrim]

Notes:

This race shows one of the biggest flaws with current F1 games; the fact that the faster teams are crazily faster via more horsepower. They do have a little bit more aero grip, but the speed trap difference between the HRT and the McLarens is really nuts. And the DRS makes it extra ludicrous. The video will take more time, as I recorded most of the replay also (didn't get the end as the replay system in-game didn't record it )

And that is why GP4 is better than just about any F1 game Codemasters can create

Well, GP4 did it in pretty much the same way. The only differential factors were horsepower and drivers ability.

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Qualifying:

"Lots of local press at hospitality area. Most since Valencia last year."

Qualifying Report:
While I was relaxed for this session, I had to get a good starting position so I can get a good run to the first corner. The first run was on a scrubbed set of options which still had some cool runnings in them. A Ferrari exited in front of me on his out lap. I had caught up to him ans tried to get past on the run to turn 7, but he moved over as there was Vettel behind me on a fast lap to too let him through. He ran into me, spinning me into the inside sand trap, and him losing a bit of his front wing. Massa was given a ten place grid penalty for that incident.I managed to get a respectable lap with the worn tires, which was good for a baseline to see if we needed to make any changes between runs. We made the changes and it improved the car's setup and feel on that second run. The car felt good, although the car's straight line speed at the end of the front straight was abit low without a draft. We ended up P12, P11 after Massa's penalty,which puts us in a great position to get into the points tomorrow.

Qualifying Results:
1st Alonso 1:21.466
2nd Vettel +0.070
3rd Webber +0.800
4th Massa +0.804 (10 Grid Place Penalty)
...
11th Rosberg +1.562
12th McKane +1.567
13th Sutil +1.811
...
21st Trulli +4.149
22nd Liuzzi +4.321
23td D'Ambrosio +6.071

Post Qualifying Tweets:

"Updates to Liuzzi's car have done a lot, far ahead of Jarome."

"Lots of local fans out in home made HRT gear, cool stuff."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweets Before the Race:

"Many fans are cheered when Alonso came round in driver's parade."

"They are hoping for the best for their heroes (him and I)."

Race Report:

The atmosphere at the track was one of the most electric I've seen in a long time with Alonso on pole. While it was more cloudy then it has been all weekend, meaning it was a little cooler, there was no chance for rain in the Catalan. While the start was ok, with a Toro Rosso behind me getting a better run off the line, I made it up to P7 from my starting spot of eleventh after the first corner. By the end of the first lap, I was fourth behind Alonso and the Red Bulls in second and third. Hamilton and Kobayashi got the better of me on the front straight, but i braked later then them and made it back before turn 1. They were able to be put at bay until I got the last corner wide at the end of lap 3, Hamilton got the DRS pop and was way into the distance at the end of the front straight. I stayed P5 until my first stop for prime tires, which I did a lap earlier then predicted so I can get some clean air. The gamble could have gone better as my out-lap on the cold primes was sloppy, which lost me a few seconds. Kobayashi and Schumacher exited in front of me and a Toro Rosso behind me the next lap. Before T5, Schumacher's Mercedes engine let go giving out a plume of smoke in front of Kobayashi and I. We both slowed down, and I was able to use the opportunity to get past the Sauber. The lap after, the Safety Car was deployed because Schumacher's car needed to be moved off track and to clean up oil and debris. Most cars had already pitted before the SC was deployed, so no one pitted when the SC was deployed. With me pitting the earliest, I was probably the biggest loser with the SC coming out when it did, I was P8 when the SC came in after 2 laps out on track. Early on in that run, Rosberg got by when he and Kobayashi took me three wide on the front straight, I was able to out brake Kobayashi but couldn't pass Rosberg. While I was able to use the DRS for the next few laps because I was close enough to the Mercedes driver in Sector three, he got to use the DRS as well which meant I wasn't able to close the gap. Later on in the run fighting off Kobayashi and Massa, a Red Bull also expired but was off track by the time I passed it. Most cars who I were battling with pitted before I did, with me going for a new set of Primes. Early on in this run, the DRS malfunctioned in a similar fashion to when it did in practice at Shanghai, and it was fixed within a few laps. During that time, a McLaren also retired with a mechanical failure. After the DRS fixed itself, the group of 5 slower cars were to be lapped by us in the lower points. I made it past Liuzzi and the Marussia-Virgin with ease, but the Lotus didn't give me room on the run to La Caxia and ran me wide into the kitty litter past the escape road. I was livid and thought that he should get a penalty because he gave me no room to pass and he was getting blue flags, I told Andy to talk to Charlie about the incident but no actions were taken which shows how much Kool-Aid is being drank by the stewards. I was P12 after the contact and was pushing hard in the last few laps to get back into the points. I made it past the lap cars, raising a fist to the Lotus as I went by on the front straight. Some cars made their pit stop onto the options which brought me back into the points in tenth. In the final laps trying to maintain tenth, the tires let go and i oversteered into the grass at turn 5, losing three spots in the process. Those spots I couldn't get back with the Primes hitting their drop-off point. While we could have had a points position, it was a good bounce-back result and I hope to use it as a launch pad for the midpoint of the season where we picked it up in a big way last year.

Race Results:
1st Webber
2nd Alonso +5.272
3rd Hamilton +10.528
...
12th Sutil +45.864
13th McKane +51.710
14th Alguersuari +1:11.613
...
17th Glock +1 Lap
18th Kovalainen +1 Lap
19th Liuzzi +1 Lap

Not Classified:
Button - Hydralics
Di Resta - Accident Damage
Kobayashi - Accident
Vettel - Gearbox
Schumacher - Engine

Post Race Tweets:

"Talked to Kovalainen, he apologized for not moving over."

"Looking forward to Monaco, we could do well there."

[RealRacingRoots]

Video is Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT823jxqZ4I

WDC Standings:
1st Webber 78
2nd Hamilton 64
3rd Alonso 61
4th Vettel 55
5th Petrov 34
6th Schumacher, Massa 32
8th Kobayashi 27
9th McKane 26
10th Heidfeld 20
11th Perez 18
12th Button 17
13th Button 17
14th Rosberg 10
15th Maldonado 6
16th Di Resta 4
17th Buemi 3
18th Sutil, Alguersuari 1
D'Ambrosio, Trulli, Glock, Liuzzi and Kovalainen all with 0

WCC Standings:
1st Red Bull 133
2nd Ferrari 93
3rd McLaren 81
4th Renault 54
5th Sauber 45
6th Mercedes 42
7th HRT 26
8th Williams 22
9th Force India 5
10th Toro Rosso 4
Virgin and Lotus both with 0

Spanish GP Post Weekend Quote:
Nathan McKane (13th)
"After Turkey, the team and I were keen to bounce back in a big way at the team's home race in Spain. While we aimed for some points, we can leave happy with out pace even though luck has eluded us. We had the potential for a great bounceback result today, but the Safety Car happened too late, and our incident with Kovalainen meant we finished lower then we could have based on merit of the car and myself. We could have used the retirements to our advantage and get a position that was higher then was predicted. The race otherwise was a good one, and the battles were good. The team and I are content with the result and we hope to get back into the points in Monaco. Our lower straight line performance won't matter as much there so we hope to be closer to the front like we were in China."

[RealRacingRoots]

In Game Press Clippings from Spain:

1st Place for Webber at Catalunya
For fans a Formula One race weekend is always an exciting prospect, and the race at Cataluyna was no exception. In a hotly contested race, Mark Webber was able to make use of good strategy and take the chequered flag.

Tweets from Between Race Weekends:

"Always enjoy driving on the mountain roads above Monaco."

"Liuzzi's helmet for this weekend looks really slick."

"Drove around Paul Ricard in a GT3 Merc SLS, awesome car."

Monaco Preview Quote:
Nathan McKane, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 7th, Race - 5th
"The concrete jungle that is Monaco is a weekending that I always enjoy. While the glamor is a nice distraction from the stress of a race weekend, the track is a lot of fun because the driver can make all the difference here. The walls are mighty close here, so one mistake could mean the end of a session of race for us. It is unlike most tracks, in that sense, as there isn't a whole lot of room for error like there is in Singapore or Valencia. Like other teams, we have a high downforce package ready to go for this weekend. Getting the balance here will be key; the roadway bumps are hard on these cars and there has to be a lot of Mechanical grip to make it through a lot of the track. This weekend was where we began to pick up a lot of momentum in a big way last year, we are hoping to do the same here."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet before Practice:

"Team brought new brake parts here. Better for late braking shenanigans the team says. I'm looking forward to using them. =D"

Practice Report:
Not crashing, it's a good idea for practice in Monaco. The track changes a lot in a weekend, and it's best to keep it clean because losing time here means you lose that much more data. We got new brake components and new aero parts this weekend, with Monaco-Spec parts as well. Our initial run to get parts data at the partly cloudy Monaco circuit felt good. We had a nice baseline from last year, so it was good to have somewhere nice to start. On the sixth lap of the run i got the transition to Casino wrong and spun out, with no damage taken. The tires for this weekend have a good wear rate, they still gave confidence when they were getting more and more worn. The race will be a lot of fun with the Pirelli tires. While we were about four tenths from first sector best, we were the fastest in sector 2 and a tenth off the top in sector 3. By the end of the first half of the session, we were fourth and only 4 tenths off the best time, from Massa. We looked over the data, made a few changes and went out for the second run of the session. I exited behind a Lotus, and couldn't get past for my first 2 laps. So I took a cool down lap and made some space for the rest of the run. We dd improve by a few tenths with the changes and the track rubbering in, which is a good sign. Many of the lower teams were going for an option run with about 20 minutes to go. We decided to go out on our option run with five minutes to go in the session, right as a few cars were coming in to their garage area. On the last lap, the car got unstable at the 13/14 complex and spun into the inside rail similar to Kovalainen in 2009. Which was a shame, as we had the pace to be P1 in that session since none of the front runners went out on a Option run. The gap between the primes and the option is much less then it has been at other races, which will make for interesting strategy for the race.

Practice Results:
1st Alonso 1:14.775
2nd Massa +0.103
3rd Hamilton +0.161
4th Button +0.265
5th McKane +0.291
6th Vettel +0.306
...
23rd D'Ambrosio +4.276
24th Liuzzi +4.509

Post Practice Tweets:

"The SuperCup guys amaze me when they come here. I think WTCC should race here if they can."

"Had a great chat with Richard Hammond at Vijay's Yacht. Talked about his experience in the F1 Renault.'

"No, I do not own a home in Monaco, to those who are asking."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet before Qualifying:

"We could be in store for a great pole battle here. I hope to be a part of it."

Qualifying Report:
The sun was shining bright over the principality on quali day. It was going to be a test to get a good lap before traffic strikes. I was second to go out, behind a Ferrari which meant i had a lot of room to get my first run in. The first run was only three laps, but we were on the pole by a third of a second ahead of Webber. I waited until it I had moved down the table and there were few cars on track to make a second run, if it was needed. If we were only to do the one run, that would give us a lot of freedom strategy wise for the race, which would be a big help since it takes a bit of luck to get past other cars here since it is so narrow. Almost everybody was out for there second run with about ten minutes to go in the session. The track was mighty busy, with a few packs of cars out there. It would be hard to get a fast lap right now. With five minutes to go, the order hasn't changed, aside from Kobayashi going to P7. It was obvious from the times that no one was going to go faster because of traffic problems. Which left me with the pole from my first lap on track. I was with the guys in the garage watching the live timing and the TV feed and once time ran out they all swarmed me in congratulations. It was my first pole since the wet German GP last year, and it felt great to be battling at the front on merit.

Qualifying Results:
1st McKane 1:14.662
2nd Webber +0.263
3rd Vettel +0.308
...
19th Di Resta +2.830
20th Liuzzi +4.194 (Good bounceback after being last in practice)
21st Trulli +4.891

Post practice tweets:

"Thanks for all the support, that was one of my best laps ever in F1!!"

"Used only one set of Options in qualy, looks like we could have fun with strategy."

"The midfield will be a mess tomorrow, wouldn't be surprised if there will be a SC."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before the Race:

"EJ expects a win out of me after talking with him on the BBC Pre-Race Show. I expect the same."

Race Report:
The whole of Monaco was buzzing today after my pole yesterday. Everyone wanted a word with me and there was a mass anticipation for the fun to the first corner. At the end of the start formation, I aimed the car a little to the right so I can get the quick block on Webber before he made it too close to me. The ploy worked, as I closed the door as soon as the race began but Vettel got a good start and was trying to get the lead. He tried to get the lead before braking for turn 1 but I moved back over for braking and he slowed down because he was too far to the inside. I was in the lead after the initial battle. After the first turn, Vettel was in second and Alonso third. In the first few laps, I was the fastest car on track with the clean air and being able to use the options when they had life. The plan for everyone was for three stop strategies. During the second lap, I was slow at the exit of Casino and Vettel tried to take advantage but I closed the door by being on the normal line for the run to the next corner. Vettel and Alonso kept me honest during the first stint, but none of them was able to get a good enough exit to try a pass. The exit after the nouvelle chicane was a corner in particular where i opened the gap out. Later on in the stint, Vettel had a moment before Portier which left him out of contention for a good position. The options that I started on had passed their drop-off point the lap before we were to pit, so I stayed that extra lap even though the car was a handful that last lap. I stopped from the lead with Alonso following. We exited in that order which was a big boost to my confidence. We both got a new set of options and went out for the next stint. That lap we both passed the abandoned Red Bull that was Vettel's before Mirabeau, the car was undamaged which meant he had a mechanical failure. Both of us pounded in the laps, and returned back to the top two places after the other leaders went on the Primes for their firsts stop. The Ferrari driver and I were in close proximity for the duration of that stint, until we hit the first go around of lap traffic from the newer teams. Although it is narrower here then it is in Spain, they were more generous in being back markers, since none of them made me spin out or lose any real time. They did make Alonso lose a lot of time, which game me some good breathing room before the next stop. The next stop did come, with a new set of Primes, and I exited behind Hamilton and Petrov who assumed the lead. The both of them still had to make their second stop since they changed to Primes with their first stop. My first chance to try and pass Hamilton was underbraking at the Nouvelle chicane, which didn't work because I wasn't close enough. After getting mighty close to Hamilton after the swimming pool, I took a huge gamble and tried to pass on the inside at La Rascase, I made it to his side and made the pass stick at Anthony Noghes. The next lap we hit the traffic that I had before my stop, and Petrov was trying to get past the first of the traffic under braking for the Nouvelle Chicane, but little did he know that the gap he made between him and the Lotus, I took the opportunity and got past under braking even though I bumped Petrov when trying to clear the lapped Lotus. The same lap i took La Rascase wide and knocked the outside barrier, damaging the front wing. While the damage was mainly superficial, it meant that we were going to lose a little bit of time during the last pitstop. I had a bunch of breathing room with Petrov losing more time with the traffic. Hamtilon pitted, and Petrov retired with a mechanical failure which meant that Hamilton was second and Alonso third. I made my third stop for scrubbed primes, they were used in my install lap, and converged behind some lap traffic and the cars in first and second.

Nathan McKane got a brilliant exit out of Portier and is now right on the gearbox of Alonso. The three leaders are within a second of each other as they go through the tunnel- McKane takes to the outside as they enter the light and- HE GETS PAST BOTH HAMILTON AND ALONSO TO THE LEAD! What a move from the HRT driver under braking for the Nouvelle Chicane to take the lead back that he has had for the duration of the grand prix. My goodness, only he would try that move and be able to make that stick.

The HRT garage was as loud as a music concert when I made the pass. They all knew that I had made an incredible pass for the lead. For the remaining laps, I had to nail a consistent pace so that they don't get back to the rear of my HRT. I responded to this by putting in the fastest lap of the race, which I already had from the stint before. I had to work through some of the lower midfield in the last few laps. But it was no matter as I passed the chequered to take a great victory in Monaco! This was the kind of weekend that began our title attack last year, we were at the front the whole weekend and we had great race pace and kept our nose mostly clean, outside of a few contacts with the wall and the altercation with Petrov. The team is mighty proud of this result, we bouncedback from two underperformed grand prixs and cemented our legitimacy for a second title. Colin Kolles called it the most mature drive I have had in these first two seasons.

Race Results:
1st McKane (Fastest Lap of the Race 1:14.823)
2nd Alonso +14.021
3rd Hamilton +48.549
...
14th Buemi +1 Lap
15th Liuzzi +2 Laps
16th Trulli +2 Laps

Not Classified:
Petrov - Suspension
Massa - Accident
Webber - Accident
Button - Accident Damage (Made contact with Vettel from Vettel's early spin, retired when damage became terminal)
Vettel - Gearbox

Post Race Tweets:

"What a special feeling that podium was, meeting the Prince was so cool!"

"Did a backflip Pastrana-esque into the water with Tonio and Andy, what a way to celebrate." Link for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L5N7R9Wbe_E#t=93s

"At BBC F1 Forum, EJ and co are trying to figure out how I made pass for lead stick."

[RealRacingRoots]

Video is Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT1Iu6w3aAY

WDC Standings:
1st Alonso, Hamilton, 79
3rd Webber 78
4th Vettel 55
5th McKane 51
6th Schumacher 44
7th Petrov 34
8th Massa 32
9th Perez 28
10th Kobayashi 27
11th Heidfeld 26
12th Rosberg 18
13th Button 17
14th Barrichello 16
15th Di Resta 8
16th Maldonado 7
17th Alguersuari, Buemi 3
19th Sutil 1
Liuzzi, D'Ambrosio, Trulli, Glock and Kovalainen all have 0

WCC Standings:
1st Red Bull 133
2nd Ferrari 111
3rd McLaren 96
4th Mercedes 62
5th Renault 60
6th Sauber 55
7th HRT 51
8th Williams 23
9th Force India 9
10th Toro Rosso 6
Virgin and Lotus both have 0

Monaco GP Post-Weekend Quote:
Nathan McKane (1st)
"It was a weekend like this one which began our stellar run that we had in the middle of last season which put us right in the middle of the championship battle. The car was stellar around the streets of Monaco, giving me the opportunity to shine. It is always hard to make a overtake here, but when you are able to pull one off it makes our work all the more worth it. The pass on Alonso and Hamilton during the last stint is my favorite moment on the season so far. Being able to do something like that at Monaco was a tall task, but all the press and the fans went wild when I made it stick. It was a team effort getting the car to feel right. They did a mighty job after Turkey and Spain where luck just wasn't on our side. This weekend was a team effort, and I look forward to returning to Canada where we shocked the world one year ago."

[RealRacingRoots]

In Game Press Clippings from Monaco:
(Uhh, there weren't any... awkward. I guess I'll make one up?)


McKane Returns to the Front With Victory in Monaco
Current World Champion Nathan McKane took his second victory of the season after starting from the Pole. The HRT driver dove a great race, also taking the fastest lap of the race. He was quoted to say during the post race press conference that, "...this is one of my best races in F1."

Tweets From Between Race Weekends:

"In Boston watching Stanley Cup final. Wishes hockey was bigger in UK."

"Will be missing Le Mans again. Raced in 2009 with Creation. NCd, but enjoyed it."

"Looking at old newspapers which had stories on last years Canadian GP."

Canada Preview Quote:
Nathan McKane, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 1st, Race - 1st
"Before Canada last year, we had begun to get some decent points and were beginning to show some potential. Once we arrived in Montreal, the unthinkable happen and we were fastest the whole weekend. The F1 world stood up and took notice as one of the new teams took Victory in Montreal. It felt surreal to win my first F1 race in my rookie year. Little did I know at the time that it was only the beginning of a title hunt that would end in success. The circuit here is a lot of fun and it takes a good setup that will work in all three sectors. The double DRS will be interesting as braking into turn one is a great spot for passing here. I am looking to use what we learned in Monaco to the fullest in Montreal. And I hope to continue our surge of momentum we gained with our victory in the last round."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Practice:

"Low Drag and DRS key here. It'll be hard to get DRS activation points right for Qualy"

Practice Report:
This weekend we must stabilize our upswings and our downswings. We have had great success here last year, but the addition of DRS will make it very interesting. Before practice I had a meeting with Andy and the other engineers and we agreed that I should act very gingerly with the DRS activation because the exits of corners still have a lot of turning input to them. With the track being used for racing only twice or so a year and cold prime tires, it was very easy to spin out early on in the session with the green track.With that in mind, we made the first runs under race conditions only, with the DRS being activated at the allotted zones. Even when the tires warmed up, it was easy to light up the rears at the exits with the way the track is and the green-ness of it. The first run was nine laps, and while the car felt good, it was hard to push with the track being green. I also lost a bit of the front wing when I took a curb a bit wrong and bounced the car up. But, like Monaco, the curbs must be attacked a lot here in order to extract as much out of a lap as possible. While today will be important, tomorrow will be extra important as some Rain is predicted for the race on Sunday. We made some changes, did a systems check and went out for a run on a new set of primes. We still did the session in Race conditions, and will do the option run at the end in qualifying conditions. In the second run, the changes we made didn't help the car as the car was now prone to spinning in the transition of turn 6 to turn 7. With less than 15 minutes left in the session, it was time for the final run. On the last lap of that run, everything came together and we slotted ourselves in second with a blistering time. We had the pace in sector one and three, one on merit and three with great exits and attacking curbs, but we lose a bunch of time in the second sector. It is a great start to the weekend, and we will see how tomorrow goes with what we've learned today.

Practice Results:
1st Button 1:13.005
2nd McKane +0.303
3rd Hamilton +0.425
...
6th Kobayashi +0.761 (Kob is really doing well this year)
...
20th D'Ambrosio +2.600
21st Liuzzi +2.712
22nd Trulli +2.903

Post Practice Tweets:

"Audi really pushing hard this year, I like the chances for them."

"We got a slow top speed here, but our corner speed has been compensating. =D"

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Qualifying:

"Want to start out front so rain doesn't cause concertina effect."

Qualifying Report:
The last consistent try running of the weekend was upon us and it was qualifying. Today was important, although there will be a lot of shuffling of places early on depending on how wet it is tomorrow. We went out for our first run after one minute had elapsed and went for a three lap run. If the run went well, that would be it, but if we needed to get a better position we would go out for that second run. That first run went very well, with us getting provisional pole by less then half a thousandth of a second ahead of Petrov, with Heidfeld behind him. Due to the short length of the track, traffic once again played a role in the session in trying to get a lap when there was no one else around, or getting traffic on the back straight where you will get a toe from the car ahead. Five minutes left in the session and there weren't any major changes at the front of the field. Tried as they might, no one could improve and an improbable top 5 was set for tomorrow's grand prix, with some teams putting a wet setup on their cars. Being on Pole again in Canada will always feel special, after getting my first pole here a year ago. The team and I are looking to repeat what we did last year!

Qualifying Results:
1st McKane 1:13.090
2nd Petrov +0.042
3rd Heidfeld +0.512
4th Alonso +0.514
5th Di Resta +0.596
...
11th Button +1.266
...
13th Vettel +1.619
...
20th Glock +3.043
21st Liuzzi +4.417
22nd D'Ambrosio +4.472

Post Qualifying Tweets:

"Wow the Oreca Pug was slow in qualifying, shocking after Sebring."

"Clouds begun to roll in 2 hours after qualifying ended, beginning to rain now."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before the Race:

"Rain will lessen late in race, gamble when time for inters."

Race Report:
The track crews were working hard for hours trying to get as much of the standing water off track and into the grass. Before the race while all the teams were on the grid, Charlie Whiting was a passenger in the Medical car as it did a lap around the track to check if a standing start was doable. Five minutes before the parade lap, race control said that the race will stand under normal conditions and all cars must start on the Wet Tires. The start was good and I was able to maintain the lead after the first corner. Visibility was poor with the high amount of rainfall, but it was best to keep out front so I can see where I am going. The goal from then on out was to maintain a gap so when everyone pits I will have a good barrier if the stop isn't as fast as it could be. The fastest guy in that first run was Hamilton, as he stormed to the top three after a mediocre grid place. Heidfeld maintained second and had a few chances to get me when he had a few fast laps in relation to me. He was able to get past on the back straight, but I got past under braking and at the chicane before the front straight. Hamilton soon got past and had the best chances at me with his high speed, but I had to work the over-under the first time to get the position back. The first pit stop cycle came around and most of the leaders pitted on lap 11. I was content with my pace and stayed out an extra lap if they couldn't get their tires up to temp. The ploy just worked, as I was at pit exit Heidfeld was behind me which meant I kept my lead. Hamilton had a slower stop and surged back to the front. He made a pass for the lead a second time, but I took the inside for the pass. My tires locked up and Hamilton and I collided and went through the inside escape area with no effect. We both stumbled to get the power back on, but I was able to get back in front before the finish line. Afterwards, the Good Ship New Teams showed up, steady as she goes. I got past them with little issue, which allowed for the gap to stretch out a little bit as the second breakaway was slower in getting past. I pit for another set of Wets, the rain had begin lessened and a dry line was beginning to show. At this time, there was no chance to pit for inters at this time. I exited second with a decent gap to Alonso who was third. I was able to build a gap in the latter part of that run so that I was only a few seconds behind Heidfeld when he pitted the lap after I did. This meant i had a large gap in that next run, our pace and luck was in our favor. Early on in that run, the rain had stopped and teams were beginning to consider the change into inters. I was getting close to the new teams again but the first of them pitted for inters and let me past with ease. A few laps later, Webber took the fastest lap of the race and it was time to put on Inters. I kept the lead, but in that last run Hamilton and the second breakaway began to crawl back the gap that was after everyone stopped. Hamilton closed the gap to about two seconds at it's smallest. Those last laps felt like they were taking hours, but I managed to keep it clean and take the second win in a row. One year on winning in Canada will always feel special. I managed to control my pace and be consistent when it mattered. It was a strong drive in changeable conditions, and it puts us square in the title battle.

Race Results:
1st McKane
2nd Hamilton +1.975
3rd Heidfeld +5.960
...
20th Glock +2 Laps
21st Liuzzi +2 Laps
22nd Trulli +2 Laps

Not Classified:
Vettel - Spun Off

Post Race Tweets:

"Congrats to Audi for taking it home after two scary crashes."

"Team and I signing and dancing in the rain with trophies in the middle."

[RealRacingRoots]

Video is up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esK4Ms0iirQ

The replay system hasn't been showing all of the race for the last few rounds, which is extra disappointing. The replay system sucks a lot, nonetheless.

WDC Standings:
1st Hamilton 97
2nd Alonso 91
3rd Webber 84
4th McKane 76
5th Vettel 55
6th Schumacher 46
7th Petrov
8th Heidfeld 41
9th Massa 40
10th Kobayashi, Perez 28
12th Rosberg 22
13th Button 17
14th Barrichello 16
15th Di Resta 8
16th Maldonado 7
17th Buemi, Alguersuari 3
19th Sutil 1
Liuzzi, D'Ambrosio, Trulli, Glock and Kovalainen all with 0

WCC Standings:
1st Red Bull 139
2nd Ferrari 131
3rd McLaren 114
4th Renault 85
5th HRT 76
6th Mercedes 68
7th Sauber 56
8th Williams 23
9th Force India 9
10th Toro Rosso 6
Virgin and Lotus both with 0

Canadian Grand Prix Post-Weekend Quote
Nathan McKane (1st)
"While we continued with out great pace that we had in Monaco here on Friday and Saturday, the wet weather of Sunday proved to be a interesting challenge. All the teams have had limited time using the Pirelli wet tires and they proved to do their job very well. It was very wet in the early part of the race and visibility was low for everybody. The track crews did a great job before the race to clean up the track as much as they can, they helped made the development of the race a lot of fun. We were able to maintain a stable pace out in front and control the race, which is akin to the great job everyone in the team is doing right now. As much as it is me behind the wheel, these guys helped me get the first win of my career one year ago, and they give me the same support that they did when I was a rookie. This was a great weekend and I hope we can continue this momentum going into the rest of the European leg of the season."

[RealRacingRoots]

In Game Press Clippings From Canada

Two In A Row For Nathan McKane
With his second win in a row Nathan McKane showed why Hispania chose to retain the world champion after leading the way in Montreal.

Tweets From Between Race Weekends:

"The Valencia heat is nice, should come here for vacation."

"Tonio and I were given a tour around a Container Ship, so many products."

"Track is a drag, but the last sector is fun-ish."

"Wonder how much the DRS will really do..."

Valencia Preview Quote:
Nathan McKane, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 11th, Race - 7th
"The team's second home grand prix takes us to Valencia. We have a lot of momentum riding on our backs after winning two in a row. We began a similar streak one year ago, but didn't get the right balance here and wasn't as near to the front as we would have liked in 2010. It is a tricky track to find the right balance for all three sectors, given the track has a pair of long straights and a lot of mid to low speed corners in it. With the dry weather for the whole weekend, all teams got to be on top of their games as we are now in the long haul before the summer break. This is where a lot of points can be earned or lost, and it is time to make every session count."

[Shizuka]

1 - Both Renaults fighting for victory. WHAT. Blasphemy!
2 - Winning animation EXACTLY THE SAME like in Monaco. WHAT. Laziness @ Codemasters?

[RealRacingRoots]

1 - Both Renaults fighting for victory. WHAT. Blasphemy!
2 - Winning animation EXACTLY THE SAME like in Monaco. WHAT. Laziness @ Codemasters?

1.They got a good setup that weekend, and some of the top runners from Friday didn't have the best qualifying day. Heidfeld had great pace all race. I believe Petrov finished fourth or fifth too.

2. There are only a few animations for that sequence, i think there is a different one for winning the WDC and for finishing second and third. There are others depending on what happens in the race, too.

Did my first time trial session at Valencia for my warm up before doing practice in a few days. My gosh is the track horrible. In particular, turn 10 is a farce because of how tight it is which makes it hard to get the power down or you will go wide. And turn 19 and 20 sees to not be nice with the Aero/Mechanical grip in-balance that the game has. And the turn in for turn 2 is dumb, and turn 5 is too narrow.

And I need song requests, because unless I get an idea out of no where, I got nothing.

Races that still need songs:
Europe:
Britain:
Germany:
Hungary:
Korea:
India:

[Wizzie]

Five for Fighting - Chances (I'm not sure which race it'ld suit but I'm thinking Hungary for some reason)
Alistair Griffin - Just Drive (I think it'ld work best for GB)

[RealRacingRoots]

Britain and Korea have been filled. Wizzie is 2 for 3. Brolius Caesar is a bro name of a friend of mine, mine is Vitanbronio Liuzzi for reference. Is there anyone out there not Wizzie who has ideas?

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Practice:

"Car looks to be handful here, lots of balance work to be done."

Practice Report:
The sun was shining brightly over the Spanish coastal city as all of us got ready for practice. This was a track where we felt we struggled at last year, as we felt that there was more in the car but it just wouldn't give that extra pace that we needed. Getting the balance here is key, as a car that is able to turn in and attack the corners is needed with how turn-in is for most corners of this track. Once again three runs were scheduled for today, two prime and a option run at the end. The track was very dusty in the beginning, and still will be offline tomorrow, with these roads only being used for racing twice in the year albeit within a week of each other. The prime tire runs were to be without DRS in any zone, so under Lap 1-3 of the race conditions, with DRS being using in the Option run at the end. On the last lap of that run, I put the power on at the Exit of Turn 17 too early and aggressively, spun the car into the inside barrier and lost the front wing. I drove the car slowly to the pit where the team spent time getting a new wing on after doing a check to see if any other part of the car were damaged or not. The second lap on that run put us in P2 early on in the session, less then two tenths off of Schumacher. The lap was a great one, with the track being so dirty early on. While doing our checks, Massa went faster and put a half a second gap to Schumacher; with our best laps being done on the prime tires. We made some changes to the car, and when few cars were on track we went out for our second run. On one of the later runs of that stint, I had the power too high at the mid and exit of Turn 5 and spun out harmlessly. The changes that were made didn't make much of a difference, but the car still felt nice-ish. There was some turn-in issues which could come from not braking enough or not setting up for the corner right. We returned to the pits with about 15 minutes to go, we were satisfied with the work we had done with the car and called the session over for our side of the HRT garage as we wanted to save that extra set of options for qualifying. While many other front funners found their pace late in the session which dropped us down the field a little, we were happy with what we had. Button did improve over Massa's time from earlier, and was fastest this session. While we could have been faster if we used the DRS at all, we chose to work on race pace first, qualifying pace second.

Practice Results:
1st Button 1:39.286
2nd Massa +0.201
3rd Hamilton +0.356
...
7th Vettel +0.776
8th McKane +0.814 (No DRS used)
9th Rosberg +0.946
...
22nd Kovalainen +6.256
23rd Liuzzi +6.331
24th D'Ambrosio +6.438 (Half a second faster then 107%)

Post Practice Tweets:

"Wonder how much faster we will be with DRS..."

"Took a tour of the spectator area with the hot-tubs, weird."

[RealRacingRoots]

Last Tweet Before Qualifying:

"I wonder how much faster with DRS on we will be...

Qualifying Report:
The crowds had amassed for a really important day in this grand prix weekend: qualifying. With it being quite tricky to pass on this track, with DRS or not, it was crucial to get a good result as first lap heroics can only get you so far here. The plan was for two runs, but like last time that could be flexible if the DRS made us fast enough to qualify near the front. We were among the first five to go out for our first run. Three flyers were to be done this run. The first lap was marred by people on their out laps, which meant that I had to be hesitant under acceleration and turn in. The second lap I got no traffic and nailed home a lap which put me on provisional pole by two tenths of a second up on Alonso in his second home race. Behind the provisional front row, there was a gap of more then a second to the third place driver Vettel, which stumped everyone up and down the paddock. Did Alonso and I put in absolute blinder of laps? With five minutes to go, Button became P3 with a lap which put him within a second of my time. My lap was so good, in fact, that the only driver from the new teams that was within 107% was Kovalainen, all the others were out of that range with Trulli being 109% of my time! The main reason that most of the others were off Alonso and myself time was because of our pace in the second and third sectors. Hamilton went Purple in the first sector on his final lap, but he didn't do enough to move up the standings with enough vigor. The team had taken a pole at it's home race, José Ramón Carabante and the other executives of the team were ecstatic with the result, and are hoping for a win. The home crowds were pleased as the Home Team and the Home hero were on the front row.

Qualifying Results:
1st McKane 1:39.067
2nd Alonso +0.155
3rd Button +0.968
4th Vettel +1.078
5th Hamilton +1.285
...
20th Kovalainen +5.882
107% Time: 1:46.002
21st Liuzzi +7.407
22nd Glock +8.297
23rd D'Ambrosio +8.471
24th Trulli +9.504

Post Qualifying Tweets:

"How did I do that lap. I don't think anybody knows."

"Media have been flooding me for hours trying to get a question or two."

"It will be tomorrow that matters now, unlike what the media thinks."

[Shizuka]

So, the DRS gave you about 7-8 tenths, with the remaining time probably being driver skills?

[RealRacingRoots]

I had a similar situation show up when I was doing some testing in Time Trial mode. I was able to consistently put in laps of around the same pace, but out of no where I find six tenths of a second and I was dumbfounded at how fast that lap was. I've tried to do laps as fast as it but just can't. The Ai probably had huge traffic problems, it wouldn't surprise me, because Alonso could have taken pole with the pace that he showed.

[RealRacingRoots]

(Press Release I've Made Up)

Stewards allow Drivers to race

Early on Sunday, it was confirmed by race director Charlie Whiting that the four drivers who weren't within the 107% barrier in qualifying are allow to race in the European Grand Prix. HRT's Tonio Liuzzi, Team Lotus' Jarno Trulli and Marussia-Virgin drivers Timo Glock and Jarome D'Ambrosio were all outside of the 107% by the end of Qualifying. While the slowest of the four drivers, Team Lotus' Jarno Trulli, was two seconds from reaching the 107% barrier, he was within that pace during Practice and Charlie and the fellow Stewards also took into account that if it weren't for pole sitter Nathan McKane and Fernando Alonso's lap times, Liuzzi, Glock and D'Ambrosio would have been within the 107% barrier with the lap that third place driver Jenson Button did.

"It's an interesting situation," Charlie was quoted to say in a press release, "the pace that Fernando [Alonso] and Nathan [McKane] showed during qualifying was a lot faster then was to be expected. We believe that their pace wont be as dramatically faster in the race as it was in qualifying compared to the other front runners, so we were inclined to allow who wasn't within 107% to race."

---

Doing race tonight, video probably will be edited and uploaded tomorrow or tonight.